Pneumatic player-piano.



PNEUMATIO PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED D120. 30, 1911,

Patented May 20, 1913.

rrn erases PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH IiEISCI-I, F TRYON, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR 'TO THE JOHN CHURCH COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PNEUMATIC PLAYER-PIANO.

To allay/m itmay concern: Be it known that I, J OSEPH Liaison, a'citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tryon, in the county of Polk and Stateof North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Player-Pianos, of which-the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide 'a construction for the pneumatic action, whereby, at the will of the performer, a

diminuendo effect may be produced which may be brought automatically into operation by the shifting of a key or lever.

The invention consists of the introduction of a choker boxbetween the bellows and the pneumatic chest, which upon the operation of the valve shall gradually shut off or choke down the intake passageway to. the chest so as to gradually reduce to a minimum the vacuum pressure of the player.

In the'drawing, Figure l is a cross section of myimproved choker box construction.

- Fig. 2 is a pla -view of the same.

Although this device is for application to aplayer piano having a pneumatic chest and a bellows or suction means, in view of the fact that these two parts are of universal use in this connection, I have only illustrated in To apply my invention, I block off this passageway by a block 3 andprovide openings 4, 5 through one of the walls of sufficient size for the maximum suction power of the instrument. These openings 4 and 5 are covered with a box 6, normally forming a closed passageway 7, connecting the openings 4 and' 5. On this box I mount a box or casing 8, and in this box a power pneumatic 9 is secured, with opening 10 from the passageway 7'iilt0 i3l16 pneumatic. The pneumatic box 8 is provided with an opening 11, Which-is provided with a flap valve 12, suitably con nected by a connecting rod 13, or in any other desired .way, with an operative con- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 30, 1911. Serial No; 668,747.

Patented May 20,1913.

nection in convenient position for the performer. The opening 4 is controlled by a flap valve 14, which is connected by rod 15 with the movable member 16 of the pneumatic 9. I

The flap valve 14 is provided with a small opening 17 of minimum size for the suction of the bellows, and a passageway of similar size is provided from the chamber 7 into the box 8, and this opening 18 is closed by a valve, 19, the stem 20 of which passes through a suitable opening in an extension 21 from the movable member 16 of the power pneumatic 9. The fixed head 22 is provided for this valve stem 20, sothat with the full opening of the pneumatic 9, the valve 19 will be lifted from its seat. A bleed opening 23 is also provided between the boxes 6 and 8.

I In its normal position, the valve 12 into the box 8 is-open, and the passageways 1, 7 and 2 being under the vacuum pressure, the pneumatic 9 is depressed and the valve 14 is held wide open, with the valve 19 closing the aperture 18 under the air pressure.

Let us assume that it is desired to diminish gradually the tension of the vacuum. The operator closes the valve 12. Thereupon through the bleed opening 23, a partial vacuum is created in the box 8, and the spring 24 in the pneumatic 9 throws outwardly the movable memberlti, closing the valve 14. This movement takes place gradually owing to thesmall diameter of the blecd opening 23. As the movable member 16 of the pneumatic rises, the valve 19 is lifted from its seat, thus more effectually opening up the box 8 to the vacuum tension, and as the valve 14 closes, the free passage through the parts 1 and 2 of the passageway is gradually choked off. and when the valve 14 is closed, the suction is choked down to. the small aperture 17 in the valve 14. In this Way, the vacuum created is gradually cut off until reduced to. a minimum. The creation'of the pianissimo thus, obtained can also be regulated by the extent of opening of the valve: 12. It' -the valve 12 is only partially closed'at first,- the creation of the pianissinio will be extended over a much longer period than ivill happen if the valve 12 is suddenly iclosed, although in either eventsthe vacuum pas sageway to the bellows will be gradually choked off. With the apuiing 1 the action is reversetl, and tl c power pneumatic 9 graduaily operated to up the valve 14 and allow a free passagehy from the bellows.

Having thus described my inveiiti iin, What I claim'as new and desire to secure by Lettcrs Patent, is:

1. In a piano 'iluyer, in combination with the passageway from the means for creating the vacuum to the pneumatic chest, at vnlvc to close snitl 11mm evvuv, with. a small openingthercthrmigli, pneumatic, c, ncction between said pncumatic elf. pzisszigzjci-vziy 11ml cunncctioiis hctivccii pneumatic and said valve to hold the same open, an air chamber in which said piieunmlic is located, :1 bleed opening intermediate the passageway and said chamber, and a valve to close the air chamber to subject the air chamber to the vacuum, whereby the pneumatic will released to close the chal ce valve.

2. In a cizuic player, in combination with the pzisssageivay from the means for creating the vacuum to the pneumatic chest, a valve to close said passageway, with a small open-' ing thercthrough, a power pneumatic actuated from said passageway and comiectlons with said valve to hold the same open, an

iii'ixrzsrcx ALLEN, EAK'ZL liiimrizi.

for closing the air chamber to, 

